Seals are used with bearings to protect the bearings and other bearing components located in the interior of the bearing. Seals can be positioned on the outside of a particular bearing to prevent contamination from the external environment. One common bearing utilizing such seals are double ring bearings.
Typically, seals for bearings have an outer edge engaged with an outer bearing ring and an inner edge engaged with an inner bearing ring. The outer edge is located in a stepped groove of the outer bearing that has radially disposed sides and opens radially inward. The groove configuration provides a secure seal at the outer edge of the seal. However, to facilitate assembly of the seal to the bearing, the inner edge is engaged with a slot in the inner bearing ring open radially inward and in an axial direction, rather than a groove. The configuration of the inner bearing ring results in easier assembly of the bearing, but is less robust and leads to leaks around the inner edge of the seal. For example, in high pressure fluid situations, such as clean up processes in the food industry, high pressure streams may force water or other fluids past the inner edge of the seal leading to contamination of the bearing and subsequent deterioration of the bearing itself.